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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Was Jinnah's Pakistan worth the fight?

By Mohammad S.Solanki (PHP Managing Editor)
Tuesday, June 29, 2010

(Photo : Mohammed Ali Jinnah, known to Pakistanis as "Quaid-i-Azam")

Islamabad : MORE than half a century after the end of British rule on the Indian subcontinent and the creation of India and Pakistan - born through the Hindu-Muslim partition in 1947, the Muslims who opted to stay in India are still getting a raw deal in every sphere of life. Still drowned in the scourge of poverty and backwardness, they continue fighting the ever-haunting spectre of communal riots and threats to their religious and cultural identity. The sense of insecurity experienced by the Indian Muslims in the post-partition era has compounded many times in recent years.

The man who might have made a difference was Mohammed Ali Jinnah, known to Pakistanis as "Quaid-i-Azam", the great leader. Jinnah was 70 years old and dying of tuberculosis when, in 1947, he became the first governor-general of Pakistan, a country he more or less created after breaking off from the Indian National Congress. He thought their freedom movement was becoming increasingly pro-Hindu and chauvinist as independence neared.

But Jinnah was not an Islamist. A cosmopolitan lawyer trained in London, he wore European clothes, he drank (a matter of huge controversy in Pakistan) and he was married to a member of the Parsi religion, Ruttie Petit, who has since been written out of Pakistani history.

Perhaps the savants Mohandas K. Gandhi, Lord and Lady Mountbatten and Jawaharlal Nehru caballed to give Jinnah a ''moth-eaten'' Pakistan stripped of Kashmir and other choice territory. Richard Attenborough's portrayal of Jinnah as a cold fish in his film “Gandhi”(1982) is yet another subject of communalism.

Should there have been a Pakistan at all? On this point there remains a question of an explosive issue rarely discussed in the subcontinent. ''What if Jinnah were to come alive to see the mess that is his Pakistan?'' He asks, and then he answers: "It would still look better than Muslim life in Hindu-dominated India." With Hindu fundamentalism on the rise, there is enough evidence to back his assertion that pogroms, poverty and prejudice have dogged those Muslims who stayed behind after partition.

Jinnah would perhaps quote Dr. Balraj Madhok, former Professor of History at Delhi University who while explaining the term “Hindu” said, “Everyone living in India is a Hindu. Hinduism is no religion; it is the name of a civilization (Tahzib), a way of life.” In an interview with the New York Times correspondent in 1996 at Delhi, Professor Madhok said, “In this country we have never insisted on religious conformity and we are not going to start now. However, one we do insist on is that Muslims become Indians. They can worship as they like, but they must adopt this country's customs.”

A Gujarati Brahman, Daynada Saraswati, (1824-1883), openly raised the slogan “India for Hindus”. According to him, Hinduism was to be the sole religion of the subcontinent and the Hindus its sole master. The Muslims were foreigners. Hindu militant Bal Thackeray of the Shiv Sena and other militant Hindu organisations are thinking that Muslims have their own homeland in the shape of Pakistan. Countless incidents and discrimination can be cited against the Muslims of India.

The historic 16th century Babri mosque was razed by thousands of Hindu fanatics in Ayodhya (UP) on 16 December 1992. The government could have averted this tragedy had the law-enforcing authorities been more agile rather than being silent spectators to the demolition.

According to Indian journalist Yuvraj Mohite, recording his statement in the court at Mumbai, “Bal Thackeray, founder of Shiv Sena, ordered the massacre in December 1992 after demolishing Babri Mosque. The double-dealing Congress Ministry of the then Prime Minister Narashimha Rao at the centre did nothing to prevent destroying the 450-year-old Babri Mosque by BJP and VHP and other anti-Muslim elements. The Statesman of New Delhi (02 December 1992) reported, “The VHP and Bajrang Dal cadres were taught demolition methods by a retired brigadier of the army in a month-long training camp in a Hindu village in the Gujrat state. The state government had full knowledge of it.”

In an online article, the statement “Advani betrayed me on Babri” by Amit Sharma of The Indian Express notes that Kalyan Singh has come out with a point-by-point rebuttal of the charges against him. He claimed that L.K. Advani and other leaders of the RSS and its outfits had hatched a "deep and secret" conspiracy for demolition of the mosque and "these leaders had not only kept me in the dark on the issue but also betrayed me."

Discrimination of the Muslim community in services is another example of deprivation. According to a 1991 census, Muslims make up 12.60 per cent of the total Indian population. However, the representation in para-military forces, educational institutions and the private and public sector is far below their proportion.

The percentage of the Muslims in the civil and foreign services is less than a quarter of their population. Further, a white paper, prepared by All India Milli Council (AMIC) and presented to the then Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, on the performance of the Indian Union during the first 50 years, there were only 116 Muslims out of a total 3,883 administrative officers (2.98%), 45 out of 1,433 police service officers (3.14%), and 57 out of 2,159 foreign service officers (2.64%). In the central government, Muslims make up 1.6% of all Class 1 officers, 3.9% of all Class 11 officers and 4.4% of the technical supervisory staff.

An official report prepared by Dr. Gopal Singh Committee shows a marked disparity between Hindus and Muslims in economic, social and educational fields. The committee's report based on a sample survey of 80 districts across the country, found there were only 92 Muslims out of 2,698 students in engineering colleges. The number of Muslim students in the MBBS courses in eight universities of eight states was 98 out of 2,895. Though the statistics are for 1991, there is no significant change as far as the Muslims are concerned in all spheres of activities.

Is India really communal? One may, perhaps find a clue, that the venom of communalism was spewed during the British rule when earthen pitchers were categorized as Hindu water and Muslim water.

An article by the eminent Indian columnist Kuldip Nayar “History a la Joshi”, further gives a hint of the communal and ethnic politics that has become deep-rooted amongst Indians. In the article Nayar writes, “For the first time in the last 40 years, where the International Trade Fair at Delhi became a factor, handicrafts by Muslims and Sikhs had been displayed at a section called “Minority Handicrafts”. Handicrafts are either good or bad, they are not tagged as minority.”

The Indian Muslims are in a dilemma, whether to accept humility in the form of Indian nationalism (based on secular ideas) or to preserve their Muslim identity.

Now, the question is one of whether Jinnah's Pakistan was worth the fight.

2 comments:

.Indians, (Brahman Hindus) are continuously building military muscle, sabotaging peace in FATA and Baluchistan and simultaneously working for elimination of Muslim identity in India. To them it is national movement of revival of Hindu culture. For Indians, two nations theory is great trouble because it argues that another nation based on religion, apart from Indian also exists which is worthy of separate homeland in South Asia. They believe this philosophy even today can fragment India. Therefore, decisive military defeat to Pakistan and its further balkanization is essential for proving this theory wrong which is so essential for survival of India.

Quaid-e-Azam MA Jinnah, ironically, is highly criticized in India both by Hindus and Indians Muslims alike. To Hindus, he partitioned India, for Muslims he weakened them by dividing the Muslims population. The fact is that Quaid-e-Azam, through out his political career, focused on welfare and protection of rights of Indians Muslims. He as a last resort, after being thoroughly disillusioned by congress worked for independent Pakistan. It is by now very clear that Pakistan is not the cause but product of Hindus-Muslims rift and rivalry. Creation of Pakistan brought lot of benefits to the Muslims of present day Pakistan yet it is also true that Pakistani leadership fell short as expected. It also did not bring any moral or material support to Indians Muslims as visualized and promised by founding father of Pakistan. Prolonged India-Pakistan rivalry has added further miseries to Indians Muslims. Except Quaid-e-Azam and Liaqat Ali khan leadership of Pakistan falter in many fields and disappointed the masses of present day Pakistan including forgetting Liaqat - Nehru pact.

Present day Pakistan is neither on the path suggested by great poet Iqbal nor heading in the direction envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam. In the search of Hyderabad, Junagarh and Kasmir, it has lost its eastern wing. Pakistan is still searching its soul. Dreams of common Pakistanis are totally different to the dreams and ambitions of its ruling elites. However, the struggle goes on.

MA Jinnah vision of Pakistan was different. It comprised all Muslims majority provinces and Muslim princely states. It was Indians in focus unlike Iqbal who was appealing Muslims of Afghanistan, Iran and some times all nations of the East. Quaid-e-Azam though advocated discovery of Islamic spirit like Iqbal, yet primarily cared for Muslims of India. Pakistan with Eastern wing comprising Bengal (undivided) and Assam, Western wing, Punjab (undivided), Sind, Baluchistan and Kashmir and in the centre was Muslims princely state of Hyderabad, Junagarh and Manavedar. There was also a peace corridor to connect all these segments. Pakistan was to co-exist with Hindus in complete harmony.

Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Moulana Abdul Kalam Azad were assuring fair and proper political representation to Muslims in united India. Muslim league didn’t trust Congress in view of her previous experiences. Later, Gandhi agreed to Jinnah’s demand of Pakistan. However, Jinnah had yet to prove that he was sole representative of Muslim of India in coming election of 1945-46, different factions of Muslim league[ National Muslim league of Sir Shafi] and few other Muslim political leaders[Abul Kalam Azad and Ghafar khan] had questioned the leadership of Jinnah. Later, Mohammed Ali Jinnah in a speech at Aligarh Muslim University, urged all Muslims of India, to help their brethren in the Muslim majority areas, achieve independence from the Hindus, even if they themselves would not be so fortunate. Muslims of majority and minority provinces responded wholeheartedly to Jinnah’s call and Muslim league gained landslide victory. Quad-e-Azam MA Jinnah was sole representative of Muslims and now his demand for Pakistan was to be honored as promised by Congress and British.

This was considered grand success of Jinnah and Muslim league and defeat for congress. Later, Pt Nehru and congress earned plum in their caps for handing over truncated and moth-eaten Pakistan. Pakistan was created but it was neither the dream of Iqbal nor the vision of Jinnah, in fact it was “craftsmanship” of Nehru. Muslim majority provinces or “rebellious provinces” as were often labeled by the Hindu press were to make Pakistan. However, even the members of the British Boundary Commission were astonished over attitude of Congress’s President Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru in the partition issues. Nehru in connivance with Mountbatten ensured that Bengal and Punjab were not annexed to Pakistan as per their existing administrative boundaries as earlier agreed, but were to be divided from “locality to locality” and street to street on the basis of the Muslim and the Hindu population. This move provided a new justification to communal genocide and resulted bloodbath in Punjab and Bengal. History bears witness to the fact that Jinnah had no option, except to agree to such “truncated and moth-eaten” Pakistan, as the Jinnah himself called it later on. Princely states of Hyderabad, Junahgarh and Manavader that opted to join Pakistan were forcefully annexed by India on the pretext of majority of the Hindu population, but all established rules and agreed principles of division were violated on the question of Jammu &Kashmir.

The newly established state, Pakistan did not inherit administrative infrastructure unlike that of Bharat (India). Military and other financial assets were not handed over to Pakistan.

Congress Attitude of twisting and repudiating the terms agreed with Jinnah embarrassed even Gandhi, who went on hunger strike until his death. This protest accrued RS 700 million for Pakistan against all military and cash reserves of the United India

NOTE-The Post believes in The phrase like God is one : but its called by different names or Sanskrit saying , Vasudhaiv Kutumbikam, “the world is one family” On behafh of (PHP) Mr Gopinath Kumar appeal to whole Hindu Society to unite,defend Sanatan Dharama and equality for everyone regardless of Caste ,Creed,Nation and Ethnicity.

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Following the creation of Pakistan, and the subsequent mass migrations, Hindus today have a much smaller numerical presence. Nonetheless Hindus have played a major role in the history, culture and politics of the country.

The term Hindu is etymologically derived from the Sindhu (Indus River) of Pakistan. The Sindhu is one of the holy rivers of Hinduism. Thus, in many ways, the land which is today's predominantly Muslim Pakistan has played an important part in the origin of Hinduism. In terms of population, Pakistan has the fifth largest population of Hindus.

WHO IS PAKISTANI HINDU ?

A Pakistani Hindu is a person who professes faith in the principles of the holy Vedas.Pakistani Hindu culture is the world's oldest culture and it is the indigenous culture of Pakistan.

Hinduism, once the main religion in present day Pakistan, has endured many invasions, migrations, conquests and settlement of many tribes and ethnic groups.

Ancient Ages

The Sindh kingdom and its rulers play an important role in the Indian epic story of the Mahabharata. In addition, there is the legend that the Pakistani city of Lahore was first founded by Lava, while Kasur was founded by his twin Kusha, both of whome were the sons of Rama of the Ramayana. The Gandhara kingdom of the northwest, and the legendary Gandhara peoples are also a major part of Hindu literature such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Most Pakistani city names (such as Peshawar, Multan) can be traced back to Sanskrit roots.

Under Islamic and British Rule

People in this region were exposed to Islamic teachings through the sufis and later when the regions came under the control of various Muslim rulers. Alberuni states in his book, that some Hindus who were forced to become Muslims, were not accepted back into their community, when they escaped to places like Varanasi. He in fact laments, that due to Islamic conquests, many great Hindu scholars left this region. In over one thousand years of Muslim rule in the Punjab and Sindh, the population of Muslims outpaced the growth of Hinduism (Buddhism had virtually disappeared) due to conversion and slavery.

Demography

In August 1947, at the end of British Raj, the population percentage of Hindus in what is today in Pakistan was perhaps as high as 15-20%, but would drop to its current total of 2% in the years since independence. According to the 1998 Pakistan Census, caste Hindus constitute about 1.6 percent of the total population of Pakistan and about 6.6% in province of Sindh. The Pakistan Census separates Schedule Castes from the main body of Hindus who make up a further 0.25% of national population.

Hinduism and Partition

When Pakistan was formed in August 1947, over 7 million Hindus and Sikhs from what was East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and Pakistan's Punjab, Sindh and North-West Frontier Province provinces were forced to leave this new state for India, and a similar number of Muslims chose the other way. The reasons for this incredible exodus was the heavily charged communal atmosphere in British India, deep distrust of each other, the brutality of violent mobs and the antagonism between the religious communities. The fact that over 1 million people lost their lives in the bloody violence of 1947, should attest to the fear and hate that filled the hearts of millions of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs who had to leave ancestral homes during hastily arranged partition.

Post-1970s

Since Pakistan declared itself an Islamic nation and pursued a decidedly Islamic course in its political and social life since the 1980s, Hindus as a minority in Pakistan have had considerably fewer privileges, rights and protections in comparison to minorities in India, which constitutionally avows itself secular and giving of equal rights to its religious minorities including the Muslim, Christian and Sikh communities.

Religious, social and political institutions

The communal violence of the 1940s and the subsequent persecutions have resulted in the destruction of thousands of Hindu temples in Pakistan, although the Hindu community and the Pakistani government have preserved and protected many prominent ones. The Hindu Gymkhana in Karachi has tried to promote social development for Hindus in the city. One of the few temples remaining in Karachi today is the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Karachi.

Hindus are allotted separate electorates to vote by, but their political importance is virtually nil. The Pakistan Hindu Panchayat and the Pakistani Hindu Welfare Association are the primary civic organizations that represent and organize Hindu communities on social, economic, religious and political issues. There are minority commissions and for a while, a Ministry of Minority Affairs in the Government of Pakistan looked after specific issues concerning Pakistani religious minorities.

The future for Pakistani Hindus

The increasing Islamisation of Pakistan and antagonism against a majority Hindu. Pakistan has forced many Hindus to leave Hinduism and convert to Islam. Such Islamisation include the blasphemy laws, which make it dangerous for religious minorities to express themselves freely and engage freely in religious and cultural activities. The promulgation of Sharia, Quranic law has also increased the marginalization of Hindus and other minorities. Following the destruction in 1992 of the Babri Mosque in India, riots and persecution of Hindus in retaliation has only increased; Hindus in Pakistan are routinely affected by communal incidents in India and violent developments on the Kashmir conflict between the two nations. It remains the hope of many that a permanent peace between the two nations will go a long way in making life better for the roughly 8 million Hindus living in Pakistan. The 1998 census recorded 2,443,614 Hindus in Pakistan. Reports from Pakistan indicate that Hindu minorities under Taliban rule in Swat are being forced to wear Red headgear such as turbans to make it easier for the Islamic militants to target them for discrimination. In light of these deprivations, Pakistani Hindu minorities have started fleeing to India.

(The Decline of Hinduism , Buddhism and Sikhism in the areas that now constitute the new country of Pakistan which was formed in 1947 happened for a variety of reasons, and even as these religions have continued to flourish beyond the eastern frontiers of Pakistan, these Dharmic religions have continued to dwindle in Pakistan)

**************************** "Pakistan will provide its minorities an ample field for the outlet of their genius and they should come forward and play their role as true citizens in making Pakistan one of the greatest nations"Quaid-e-AzamMuhammad Ali Jinnah (11th August 1947)محمد علی جناح "You are free; Hindus are free to go to your temples, Muslims are free to go to your mosques, or to any other places of worship in the State of Pakistan".We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State"*****************************NO HINDU HUMAN RIGHTS IN PAKISTANHindu Minority in Pakistan lack options and hope

There is a lack of awareness across the world about the very existence of a significant yet dwindling Hindu community in Pakistan. Presently it is estimated that Hindus make up 2% of Pakistan’s population. This is at least five times the number of Hindus in Britain.

Before the end of colonial rule in 1947, the land that was to become Pakistan had a large proportion of Hindus, accounting for over 26% of the population. The Partition of India was the biggest forced migration of people in human history, and was accompanied by large scale massacres. During this period, the population of Hindus dropped to 15% in this region.

Even though there was heavy risk, many Hindus chose to remain in their ancestral homeland and were promised protection by the Government of Pakistan. However in practice, Hindus found it very difficult to live in Pakistan, where they were very vulnerable and often subject to persecution.

There was a constant level of crime and harassment against Hindus in Pakistan. The constitution and legal system that was framed for the new country openly discriminated against Hindus. During periods of tension between India and Pakistan, Hindus were killed and expelled in large numbers. In 1965 a law was passed that openly incited and legitimised confiscation of Hindu property. This was called “The Enemy Property Act”. Therefore the Hindu population steadily dropped.

During 1970 and 1971, huge massacres were perpetrated upon Hindus, by the Pakistani army. A proper study into the casualty figures has never been conducted. Estimates for the number dead are up to 3 million. Millions of Hindu women were raped and kidnapped in this period. It was one of the largest massacres in recent history, and also one of the most ignored.

In 1977, General Zia ul-Haq led a military coup in Pakistan. He introduced Islamic Law, which further excluded and marginalised Hindus.

In 1989 and 1992 over 300 Hindu temples were destroyed. Many Hindus lost their homes. The largest outward migration of Hindus from Pakistan since Partition took place during these years.

Unbelievable as it may seem, Hindus still exist in Pakistan, numbering over 2.5 million. The Hindu population is largest in the Sindh province, but there are Hindu communities dotted all over Pakistan. They suffer constant threats against their security, property and lives. Hindus in Pakistan have to live a very low profile existence, and have to put up with many insults to their honour and dignity, with no legal safeguards. They authorities in the country rarely intervene to help Hindus, and often make matters worse. There are regular reports of kidnapping of Hindu women and children, looting of Hindu property, and other forms of discrimination, persecution and dehumanisation.

Unfortunately the international media and human rights groups do not take much of an interest in all this. Together with the apathy of the general public around the world, this has meant that the Hindus of Pakistan remain a forgotten and voiceless people. The brutality that has been melted out to the Hindus in Pakistan knows few parallels in history.

(Until decent minded people across the world show concern for the fate of the helpless and speak out for those without a voice, there is little hope for the Hindu men, women and children who remain in Pakistan)

Introduction & Glory of Sanatana Dharama or (Hinduism)

Unlike other religions Sanatana Dharama (Hinduism) is not one person's invention.

There is no single medicine that can cure all deceases and ailments.Sanatana Dharama (Hinduism) is an accumulated treasury of spiritual and moral laws discovered by different saints over various periods.

In other words Sanatana Dharama (Hinduism) is like constitution of a country. Spiritual and moral laws are democratically accumulated over centuries. These laws are observed voluntarily by people without any governmental control.

In Sanatana Dharama You don't need to practice exactly what your forefathers practiced. Those practices may be good only for that period (Yuga Dharma)

One can be an atheist or an agnostic and still can be a Sanatani like me or like Sage Charvak (The atheist).

Sanatana Dharama allows criticizing or debating god's existence. Sanathana Dharma absorbs new ideas like a sponge and recharges itself with modern technology.

In Kindergarten or Nursery school you learn everything from one book from one teacher. In a Higher school you learn from several books from several teachers.

Sanatana Dharama is like a university. It doesn't have only one book like other religions have, it has collection of books covers various subjects and aspects.

There is no single medicine that can cure all deceases and ailments.

One must understand, it is impossible for one person to write religious doctrines for entire world and for future. If any one thinks that one person can do it they are fooling themselves.

Muslim emperors ruled India for seven hundred years. The British ruled India for two hundred years. Some joined Islam through force. The Muslim emperors and the British were not able to convert the whole of India. Still the glory of Hinduism persists. The culture of Hinduism prevails. Nothing can shake its greatness and root.

Hinduism is neither asceticism nor illusionism, neither polytheism nor pantheism. It is a synthesis of all types of religious experiences. It is a whole and complete view of life. It is characterized by wide toleration, deep humanity and high spiritual purpose. It is free from fanaticism. That is the reason why it has survived the attacks of the followers of other great religions of the world.

Hinduism is extremely catholic, liberal, tolerant and elastic. No religion is so very elastic and tolerant like Hinduism. Hinduism is very stern and rigid regarding the fundamentals. It is very elastic in readjusting to the externals and non-essentials. That is the reason why it has succeeded in living through millennia.

The foundation of Hinduism has been laid on the bedrock of spiritual truths. The entire structure of Hindu life is built on eternal truths, the findings of the Hindu Rishis or seers. That is the reason why this structure has lasted through scores of centuries.

Hinduism stands unrivaled in the depth and grandeur of its philosophy. Its ethical teachings are lofty, unique and sublime. It is highly flexible and adapted to every human need. It is a perfect religion by itself. It is not in need of anything from any other religion. No other religion has produced so many great saints, great patriots, great warriors, great Pativratas (chaste women devoted to their husbands). The more you know of the Hindu religion, the more you will honour and love it. The more you study it, the more it will enlighten you and satisfy your heart.

Is Blasphemy Law in Pakistan giving Religious/Social persecution to Minorities ?

What could be the future of Pakistani Minority (Hindu Community)?

Which is the biggest Temple/Mandir in Karachi City, Pakistan ?

Introduction to Sacred-Texts : Hinduism

The Vedas

There are four Vedas, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda. The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism. They also had a vast influence on Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Traditionally the text of the Vedas was coeval with the universe. Scholars have determined that the Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, was composed about 1500 B.C., and codified about 600 B.C. It is unknown when it was finally committed to writing, but this probably was at some point after 300 B.C.

The Vedas contain hymns, incantations, and rituals from ancient India. Along with the Book of the Dead, the Enuma Elish, the I Ching, and the Avesta, they are among the most ancient religious texts still in existence. Besides their spiritual value, they also give a unique view of everyday life in India four thousand years ago. The Vedas are also the most ancient extensive texts in an Indo-European language, and as such are invaluable in the study of comparative linguistics.

Upanishads

The Upanishads are a continuation of the Vedic philosophy, and were written between 800 and 400 B.C. They elaborate on how the soul (Atman) can be united with the ultimate truth (Brahman) through contemplation and mediation, as well as the doctrine of Karma-- the cumulative effects of a persons' actions.

Puranas

The Puranas are post-Vedic texts which typically contain a complete narrative of the history of the Universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of the kings, heroes and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology and geography. There are 17 or 18 canonical Puranas, divided into three categories, each named after a deity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are also many other works termed Purana, known as 'Upapuranas.'

The Epics

The Mahabharata and Ramayana are the national epics of India. They are probably the longest poems in any language. The Mahabharata, attributed to the sage Vyasa, was written down from 540 to 300 B.C. The Mahabharata tells the legends of the Bharatas, a Vedic Aryan group. The Ramayana, attributed to the poet Valmiki, was written down during the first century A.D., although it is based on oral traditions that go back six or seven centuries earlier. The Ramayana is a moving love story with moral and spiritual themes that has deep appeal in India to this day.

In addition, a key Hindu sacred text, the Bhagavad Gita, is embedded in Book Six of the Mahabharata.

Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita, usually considered part of the sixth book of the Mahabharata (dating from about 400 or 300 B.C.), is a central text of Hinduism, a philosphical dialog between the god Krishna and the warrior Arjuna. This is one of the most popular and accessible of all Hindu scriptures, required reading for anyone interested in Hinduism. The Gita discusses selflessness, duty, devotion, and meditation, integrating many different threads of Hindu philosophy.